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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' I No Model.) A r A. F. PUREFOY.

SPRING. BED BOTTOM.

. No. 278,362. Patented May 29, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

ADDISON F. PUREFOY,' OF WAKE FOREST, NORTH CAROLINA.

SPRING BED-BOTTOM. f

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,362, dated May 29, 11883.

l I Application filed October 19,1882. (Ne model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADDISON F. PUREFoY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wake Forest, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to spring bedbottoms in which the springs are connectedtogether throughout the bed-bottom, although it is not wholly limited thereto, and it has special reference to base-pieces for the springs which enable them to be distrib uted on the slats independent of the number and spacing of the latter, so that the same set of springs can be usedequally well in bedsteads difierin g from each other in the number of the slats; to the combination of the springs and their said base-pieces with braces for uniting and steadying the whole; to a system of extensible braces and connection-wires which,

, by permitting the bed-bottom tobe expanded or contracted, adapt the same article to use inbedsteads of different widths; to table-pieces which rest upon the braces and form supports for the mattress between the springs; and to certain features of improvement in other respects, as hereinafter specified.

The invention does not consist, broadly, in so constructing a spring bed-bottom that the same article can be used with bedsteads having the slats different in numberand spacing, or that it can be expanded to different widths, or that it has mattress-supportsbetween the springs; but it consists in the new constructions, combinations,and arrangementsof parts for accomplishing or securing these and other results or advantages. r

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents in plan and horizontal section a spring bedbottom constructed in accordance with the invention and Figs. 2 to 8 are detail views,Fig. 2 being a perspective of a twin spring with base-piece formed integral therewith; Figs. 3 and 4, perspectives of aslip-joint brace and a detached table-piece, respectively; Fig. 5, a

plan of a pair of twin springs with extensible connecting-braces having lateral crooks; and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 perspectives of wire slats or base-pieces with attached springs, as in Fig. 7,and without them, Figs. 6 and 8.

upon the slats B, hereinafter termed for con venience of reference the supporting-slats, and span the spaces between them, so that it is unnecessary to have a supporting-slat under each spring, and the disposition of the springs is, therefore, independent of the number of slats in the bed. The auxiliary slats,composed of one or more base-pieces, are separable, so that they can be moved apart or drawn together, and thus the rows of springs carried by them may be separated by a greater or less distance. The supporting-slats ordinarily run across the bed, and the auxiliary slats or base-pieces, with the rows of attached springs, extend lengthwise thereof. By properly separating the said auxiliary slats or base-pieces, therefore, the springs may be uniformly distributed in different bedsteads or frames notwithstanding variations in their widths.

The auxiliary slats or base -piece.s may be made of wood or metal in any suitable'form but it is deemed most' advantageous to construct them of wire, and such construction itself forms part of the invention. The wire is bent into a general oblong shape, and the ends "Ordinary round wire of about the same diameter as the springs, or larger, is preferred; but no particular size or sh apeis necessary, so long as the wire has sufficient stifl'ness to sustain the springs. The wire may be doubled one or more times upon itself, so that each base-piece has two longitudinal wires, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6, and 7, three such wires as shown in Fig. 8, or a larger number.

The wire slats or base-pieces may be made integral with the springs or of a separate wire. Both forms are shown in Fig. 1, thel-ongitudinal wire slats 0 consisting each of two parts or base-pieces, b c, the former integral with the spring, the latterformed of aseparate wire and having the springsfastened thereto. In both cases the same base-piece is common 'toa num IOC ber of springs. The two springs connected with each base-piece b are made of one wire, so that they form what is commonly known as a twin spring. The sides. of the base-piece b are fastened to the bottom coils of the two springs of'the twin by wrapping with wire, or

in other suitable way. The springs are attached to the base pieces 0 by means of the bends d, which are upright or vertical, and

which are embraced by the lower coils of the springs. A wire, 6, passes through and under each bend and over and around the springcoil which fits over the bend, so as securely to hold the spring in place. The wire 0, being contained in the bend d, does not extend below the bottom of the wire slat. The object of the bends d is twofold: first, to enable the springs to befastened in place withouthaving any device below the bottom of the base-piece to make it rest uneven on the supporting-slats B and, second,- to insure the springs against moving lengthwise of the base-piece.

The auxiliary slats 0, whether made of wire or otherwise, and whether integral with the springs or not, may each be made in one piece without joint; or they may be made in two or more parts, rigidly connected, or in two or more parts connected by flexible joints. The

latter construction admits of their being folded, and is shown in Fig.1, where the wire basepieces be are connected with each other by a flexible joint atf. The square ends of the two base-pieces abut and are wrapped with wire, so as to form a hinge-joint.

The auxiliary slats 0 are connected with each other by braces E. To allow the separation of the auxiliary slats or their drawingtogether, the braces are made extensible by means of a series of crooks, 9, so as to expand or contract in length by opening and closing the crooks, or by means of a slip-joint formed between two parts of a brace, an eye, h, on each part embracing the other part, and the brace expanding and contracting by the sliding or slipping of. the eyes it on the parts ofthe brace. The braces E are connected with the slats C so as .to prevent the tilting of the latter. In the case of the wire slats each brace extends alternately over and under the sides or longitudinal wires forming said slats, and isjointed at each end to the side of the slat farthest removed from the slat to which the opposite end is jointed. Where a brace passes under a slat-wire, whether at the point ofjoining, as at i, or at a crossing, as at k, the slatwire is preferably bent upward so that the brace will lie flush with the bottom of the wire slat. Of the braces which cross the same slatwire, alternate ones lie above and below it, so as to prevent the slat from tiltingin either di rection. Thisis deemed the best arrangement to adopt, but it is obvious that the wire slats could be connected with the braces in other ways-as, for example, by suitable clips. With wooden auxiliary slats or base-pieces, staples or clips could be used. A single brace may extend across and connect all the slats O, or

-v... 1 1 x .A n

the number of slats connected thereby, may

be extensible by means of crooks or by a slipjoint, as already explained; or'in caseit is not desired to have the bed-bottom expan sible, then the said brace may be plain and straight. The braces are preferably of wire, but might be of other material. As shown in Fig. 1, the auxiliary slat-s O are connected by extensible slipjoint braces of wire, a brace being placed between each pair of slats, except at the upper part of the figure, where an extensible crooked brace connecting together three slats and two similar braces connecting each a pair of slats are represented.

The springs A are not only connected at the bottom through the braces jointed to their slats or base-pieces, but are also connected at the top by connection-braces F, which are made extensible by a slip-joint, as shown in Fig. 1, or by means of crooks, asshown in Fig. '5. The latter form differs from the braces with lateral crooks shown and described in Letters Patent No. 261,954 granted to myself and S. Abernathy, as my assignee, August 1, 1882, in having a larger capacity of expansion, owing to the novel arrangement of the crooks-- to wit, to the arrangement in each half of each brace of a long crook, 1, between two smaller crooks, m.

Springs of ordinary or of any suitable form may be carried by auxiliary slats or basepieces'and be braced, as above described; but extension-top springs, such as described in .the aforesaid patent and that granted to the same persons February 28, 1882, and numbered 254,372, are shown, the use of these springs being most advantageous, and their combination with other elements forming part of the invention. The connection-braces F extend under the said tops, which are formed by a series of flat or nearly flat coils. As shown, the braces F are diagonally disposed, and this arrangement is preferred; but both the braces with slip-joint (shown in Fig. 1) and those with crooks (shown in Fig. 5) may be otherwise disposed. When the springs A are separated, as shown in Fig. .l, the space between the longitudinal rows will in part be occupied by the connection-braces, and these will aid-in holding up the bed or mattress; but the contact or bearing surface of the braces is small, and, moreover, with the extension-top springs the said-surface, unless the braces are bent upward between the springs, as set forth in the latter of the aforesaid patents, (which upward bend it may not always be convenient or possible-to impart,) will be below the level of the extension-tops. The bed is improved by the table-pieces G, which, are attached to and supported by the braces between the springs. They increase the hearing or contact surface, andin the case of extension-top springs, being of the same depth or thickness as said tops,

too

their upper surfaces are flush with those of the extension-tops, they thus level up the bed-bottom. Table-pieces of variousmaterials,

shapes, and sizes, may be used but a flatwire coil, provided with hooks 10 at the center and outer end, as shown, is preferred. (See Figs. 1 and 4.) The diagonal disposition of the spring connection-braces F gives agood seat for the table-pieces. The character and disposition of the springs carried by the base-pieces b have hereinbefore been described, but not those carried by the larger base-pieces, c

As shown, (seeFig. 1,) the springs A, carried by the base-pieces 0, are for the most part twin springs 5 but the two springs or elements of the twin, instead of being carried by the same base-pieceor slat, are connected with ad jacent base-pieces, or, more definitely, with the base-pieces in adjacent slats. The. springs themselves thus aid in binding together the auxiliary slats O. The twin springs, as shown,

are arranged to break joints, so to speakthat is, they are so arranged that the connection-wires q of the springs in one transverse row are opposite the space between adjacent springs in the next transverse row. The small spaces left at the ends of alternate rows are.

filled with single springs.

In order that the connection-wires q may not interfere with the expansion of thebed-bottom, each of said wires is bent between the springs once, as shown, or oftener, if desired, so that the opening and closing of the bend allows the two springs or elements of the twin to be separated or brought nearer together. The bent connection-wires q also furnish platforms between the springs, which,when thelatterhave extension-tops,form continuations of said tops.

The said platformsor bent connection-wires may be upheld by extensible or slip braces H, additional to the diagon ally-disposed bracesF 5 or the platform can be made of such shapeand size as to rest on the diagonal braces. When the auxiliary slats G or base-pieces, with their springs A, have been properly connected, braced, and distributed on the supportingslats B, the said auxiliary slats or base-pieces are preferably secured to the supporting-slats by clips, nails, staples, or like fastening devices, so as to prevent them becoming disarranged. Other means may, however, be used to prevent disarrangement as, for example, the wrapping of the diagonally disposed braces attheir point of crossing.

It is obvious that the bed-bottom could be set up on the :floor or other plane surface as well as on-a series of slats.

In order to pack the bed-bottom for transportation, the width may be reduced bysimply contracting the braces and drawing together the auxiliary slats or base pieces and springs; but the reduction can be carried much further by releasing one end of each of the slat braces G and spring-braces F aud arranging them parallel with the auxiliary slats, and .by removing the twin springs from the base-pieces 0, or by releasing each from one of the com necting base-pieces and turning it so that the line connecting the centers of the springs is parallel with the length of the base-piece to which it remains attached, and by then bundling or packing together as close as may be the auxiliary slats and springs. The jointing W of the braces to the auxiliary slats and springs allows them to be laid parallel with said slats without being entirely'disconnected therefrom.

The length may be reduced by folding back.

the twin springs seen at the bottom of Fig. 1.

I claim the new improvements herein described, all and several, to wit:

1. The combination, with the supportingslats of a bedstead, of auxiliary slats resting upon the supporting-slats and spanning the spaces between the latter and twin springsconnecting said auxiliary slats and carried thereby, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with two or more springs, of a wire slat or wire base-piece common to said two or more springs, substantially as described. t

3. The combination, with the supportingslats and the springs, of auxiliary wire slats or wire basepieces spanning the spaces between said supporting-slats, substantiallyas described. V

4. Thecombination,with atwin spring formed of wire coiled about vertical axes, of a horizontal oblong base-piece common to the two elements of the spring and made integral or in one piece therewith, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with springs and auxiliary slats orbase-piece of braces jointed to and connecting the said slats or base-pieces at the bottoms of the springs and additional braces jointed to and connecting said springs at the top,substantially as described.

' 6. The combination, with springs and slats or base-pieces, of extensible braces connecting said slats or base-pieces at the bottoms of the springs, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the springs, slats, or base pieces, and extensible braces both at the tops and bottoms of the springs, substantially as described.

8. In a spring bed-bottom, an extensible brace made in parts connected by a slip-joint, substantially as describd.

9. The combination, with springs, of cxtew sible braces having slip-joints and connecting the said springs at the top, substantially as described.

10. The combination,with springs having extension-tops, ot' extensible slip'hraces. havin gslip-joints connecting said springs and extending under said tops, substantially as described. l

11. The combination, with the elements of a twin spring, each having a series of coils forming an extensiontop, of a connecting-wire bent upon itself to form a platform between said elements, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with an extension-top twin spring having a platform between the springs formed bybendin g theconnection-wire,

of a brace or braces extending under the said top and the said platform, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the springs and slats or base-pieces of wire or other suitable material, of extensible slip-joint braces connecting the said slats or base-pieces, substantially as described.

14. Thecombination, with a wire slat or basepiece provided with bends therein, of the springs. attached to the said bends, substantially as described.

15. The combination, with the springs, of wire slats carrying .the springs and formed in two or more parts or base-pieces jointed to ,each other, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with springs and connection-braces, of table-pieces supported on the said braces between the springs, substantially as described.

'17. The combination, with springs having extension-tops and connection-braces extending under said tops, of table-pieces supported base-pieces, of twin springs provided with extensible connecting-wires and having the two elements of said spring attachedto difi'erent slats or base-pieces, substantially as described.

20. The combination of twin springs having extensible connecting-wires, base-pieces carrying said springs and extensible braces at the tops and bottom of the spring, substantially as described.

21. The combination of thejointed wire slats, the springs and the extensible braces, substantially as described.

22. The extensible braces provided with six I bends-that is to say, with one long and two short bends on each side of the middle-substantially as described.

23. The combination, with the springs and the ordinary series of bed-slats, of a number of separable auxiliary slats or elongated basepieces carrying the said springs, and adapted to rest upon and span the spaces between the ordinary bed-slats, and to be separated more or less, according to the varying width of different-beds, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADDISON F. PUREFOY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE A. IsBELL, CHARLES SINsLEY. 

